#FundraisingFriday - A Call to Action!

It’s #FundraisingFriday again, and this week’s focus is on a Call to Action. What is it? Why do we need one? Who are we calling? How do we make one that works?

That’s the dictionary definition, but what is it really? It’s the “ask”. It’s what you want your donor to do - sign a petition, donate money, donate supplies. This line should be used in your social media posts, on the online landing page for your campaign, the tag line for an in-person ask, and your guiding light when making marketing decisions and communicating about what you’re trying to do and why others should support you.

If you have a strong, clear, and concise CTA, your fundraiser has even more potential to make a huge difference for those you are giving back to. It is an easy tagline that mobilizes your donor. Think of it as an elevator pitch.

Here’s a good basic formula to help you think about how to make your own successful CTA:

- Join us in our mission to ___(your cause/mission’s focus)___ by supporting our cause here: [Insert link to fundraising page].

- Keep it simple sunshine (or “KISS”) on social media because donors have a shorter attention span on social media, website, and email platforms because of the abundance of information and media at their fingertips.

- Some great examples of a CTA before a donation link include:

Florida Fallen Heroes - “It is our purpose to gain funds through the foundation to offset the cost of this monumental task. We strive to make certain that every fallen hero is not forgotten.”

Long Beach Police Officers’ Association - “Supporting the Heroes Who Protect Long Beach”

‍Yonkers Fire Officers Association - “Yonkers Fire Department is composed of over 450 professional firefighters who continue to serve the city 24/7, answering over 18,000 calls per year.”

- Be sure to be quick, clear, and informative to capture the audience’s attention right away.

In the end, knowing your CTA, sharing it concisely, and making sure it resonates with your donor audience is an art form, but it is a skill that can be developed with SEO keywords, donor audience testing, and practice on sharing your mission. You’ve got this, and we’ve got the resources to support you. Keep tuning into our #FundraisingFriday tips to develop your fundraiser skills, strategic communications, and donor outreach. Next month, we’re prepping for Giving Tuesday: the largest donation season of the year!

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Originally from Upstate New York, Gabby Rockwell grew up in Girl Scouts with her troop meeting weekly in a volunteer fire station and giving back to her local volunteer department. From a young age, her passion was her community and the emergency responders that kept her town safe.

In New York, she pursued her Bachelors in International Relations, focusing on the impact that nonprofits have in making positive change on the world. Later moving to California to further her studies in State and Local Policy and Econometrics by getting her Masters in Public Policy, continuing to focus on how nonprofits can make a local difference through a combination of data analytics and marketing partnership opportunities.

She has worked in the community relations world of professional baseball and nonprofits, continuing to give back to emergency responders in local, statewide, and national capacities. From producing events, fundraising, marketing, and analyzing how to implement best strategies for increased donations, Gabby has a broad experience in the fundraising world of supporting emergency responders.

Now based in San Diego, Gabby is the Director of Social Media Marketing at NEP Services. She continues to spend her time giving back to emergency responders - both professionally and in her free time with her son. She's proud to merge her nonprofit and analytics backgrounds into one role to give back to those who give their all for us day in and day out.